About

"Deafness is not a disability. It's
a gift. It's a pride. It's a culture. Those who fear us is a disability of the
mind." - Ann Marie "Jade" Bryan, Award-Winning Deaf Filmmaker

NEW
ADDITION REWARDS FOR $150 CATEGORY PERK PLEDGE! Pledge $150 - Receive a DVD copy of the staged reading,
behind-the-scenes audition/rehearsal, a digital copy of the screenplay (similar to Kindle e-Book) with my signature, and a T-shirt that reads
on the front: "I PLEDGED" with Jade Films logo. Last, but not least, you will receive a DVD copy of my most recently released feature film, IF YOU COULD HEAR MY OWN TUNEcurrently circulating the film festival. (Also, for those who pledges $50, will receive a DVD copy of one of my previous films.)

**A Reminder: your credit card will ONLY be charged if we
reach our funding goal by 1:54pm on August 7th. If our goal is not reached, you
pay nothing.**

PRODUCE THE STAGED READING OF THE
DOUBLE LIFE OF ZHANE RAIN: A new film slated for principal photography
fall/2012. It will be a feature length film running approximately 120
minutes. We have several goals attached to this project. Most important,
we want to give the industry something that it has never seen before: An all
African-American, Deaf, hard-of-hearing and nondeaf cast.

THE STORY

THE DOUBLE LIFE OF ZHANE RAIN is a provocative
dramatic film with a mysterious, dark and surreal twist. It's about an
18-year-old, African-American high school senior with three generations of both
hearing and Deaf family members that have an impact on her upbringing.

When she was six, Zhane had a horrible
accident which caused her to slip into a coma for three weeks. As a
consequence, she lost most memories of her early childhood. The accident also
left her suffering from an aggressive hearing loss. The film tells a story
about a lost girl who is trying to find herself in a self-respecting Deaf
family and overcoming an unusual phobia as a result of a very dark secret,
which takes a toll on her mental health, spirituality and emotional well-being.

Zhane Rain possesses natural, boundless
energy despite her striking beauty and uniqueness. While naïve and
innocent, she finds herself being attracted to people around her. She can
at certain times be an extrovert, while, at other times, an introvert.
She finds that she has to defy all the odds against her, including her proud,
Deaf mother, Brianne, who kept the accident a secret, while sheltering her from
a world she thinks is best and safe for her. Her mother takes pride in
her alma mater, Harpo University, the world’s only African-American, Liberal
Arts and Technology College for the Deaf, which she encourages her to attend so
as to follow in her footsteps.

As her independence grows, she becomes
confused when she navigates between a triangular relationship with her
childhood and family friend, Sarafina, a pre-law student, whom she falls in
love with, and her sidekick roughneck rapper boyfriend, Brando, which also
embroils her mother. She's left to struggle with living up to her Deaf peers'
expectations while trying find her place in a hearing society.

Ultimately, Zhane’s biggest battle is in
dealing with recurring nightmares due to amnesia from the traumatic experience
she had as a child.

The original title was CUTTING THE EDGE
OF A FREE BIRD and has been changed to THE DOUBLE LIFE OF ZHANE RAIN. It was first conceived
of, written, directed and produced as a short for a film school project in 1991
at NYU's prestigious Tisch School of the Arts. (Scroll below to
see the short) The new revised script is a very 21st-Century idea of a
family drama with conflicted goals, values and outlooks on life, all centered
around Zhane Rain's world.

The fact that I am writing this for the
screen, personally, I am a product who was not born deaf and recently learned
that my deafness is a result of an accident. The story is inspired in part by
my own experience growing up as the only person in the family with a hearing
loss in a very strict Christian household, while attending a school for the
deaf.

KEY CHARACTERS

ZHANE RAIN BALDWIN
LEAD CHARACTER

ZHARI BALDWIN
ZHANE’S TWIN BROTHER

I'MANI BALDWIN
ZHANE’S
SISTER

LITTLE JAMAL BALDWIN
ZHANE’S BROTHER

HASSAN BALDWIN
ZHANE’S BROTHER

BRIANNE TRAVIS-BALDWIN
ZHANE’S MOTHER

JAMAL SR. BALDWIN
ZHANE’S FATHER

JAMILLAH TRAVIS
ZHANE’S AUNT

JONETTA TRAVIS
ZHANE’S
GRANDMOTHER

LINDA CRAY
ZHANE’S SCHOOL COUNSELOR

ANGELO PEREZ
ZHANGE’S H.S. GAY
BEST FRIEND

BRANDO MACHO
ZHANE RAPPER BOYFRIEND

SARAFINA JASBY
ZHANE’S BEST
FRIEND/LOVER

JOEDI CAMERON
ZHANE’S VOLEYBALL
COACH

VANESSA CARTER
ZHANE’S NEIGHBORHOOD
FRIEND

DWAYNE JONES
ZHANE'S HIGH
SCHOOL CLASSMATE

* THERE ARE MORE SUPPORTING ROLES NOT
LISTED HERE.

PART 1

PART 2

While my creative team and I are seeking
backers to produce my second feature film, we're planning an audition soon for
an upcoming screenplay staged reading this fall. We have a goal to raise $8,600
or more. We need sponsors and community support to make this happen. My goal is
to invite as many agents, backers and producers to attend this reading so that
we can take it to the next level into a motion picture movie. Not only will
your support make this project happen, it will also help more Deaf and
Hard-of-Hearing ACTORS/TALENTS OF COLOR gain more exposure on the silver
screens as well as television. Your support will also help our creative team
put those with promising talent and persuade them to take acting training and
prepare them for my movie. It has always been my dying passion and my
responsibility as a filmmaker to promote more diversity in the
mainstream. If you want to contribute to the realization of this creative
project, and receive something very special in return, then I respectfully
request your support.

Now, if we don't reach our amount goal
by the deadline we do not receive any of it. Any amount, small or
large helps. From a donation to simply telling your friends about our campaign
via word-of-mouth to Facebook and Twitter. It all means a lot to us. It takes a
community to make a reality come true, starting at a minimum of $5 per
donation.

THE PLAN

Since we are in our early stage of script
development, the staged reading series provides myself as the writer
an opportunity to have my feature script performed by actors through a table
read and/or rehearsed on a theatre stage. Having a script interpreted by
other artists and hearing it with other voices and ASL signed is an invaluable
tool to a project's creative evaluation and script analysis. It also offer
audiences a chance to hear a full-length film script read live and participate
in a feedback forum.

YOUR INVESTMENT

Almost all my films are solely independent
productions and has been self-financed up until this point. This is my first
time producing a staged reading of one my screenplays. However, writing
for the movie is an expensive endeavor and I want to make sure we have the
financial support to take the film on the next level, where we will need at
least seven-figure deal to produce a film of high quality and caliber.

When the final film is completed, we will
market it to various festivals, including Cannes, Tribeca and Sundance.

Because my creative team is seeking
donation for $8,600 or more, your contribution will go directly to funding a
screenplay staged reading of my project this fall. My goal is to start the
movie production in fall 2012. I will be directing it. We have a lot of
preparation before we can get this project off the ground.

Passionate people make all the difference
with something like this and every single person's contribution will make a
difference. One of the main reasons we decided to use Kickstarter was
because we loved the idea that our campaign, like our film project, will be a
collaborative effort by people who truly care about this film Your help and
support will be invaluable to us on this journey.

CAN WE EXCEED THE GOAL?

Amazingly, yes! If we can surpass our
$8,600 goal, it would not only be a dream come true, but it would allow us to
produce a great staged reading so that we develop the screenplay with great
care into a better film! Exceeding our goal would help offset our significant
expenses, which include the costs to rent the space, performance space, paying
actors a small stipend, pay for sign language interpreters, travel, feed
our actors/crew, reception for the reading, administration costs (office
supplies, script copies, postage, postcards, etc.) and prepare for pre-production
planning stage.

If you have any questions or comments
or would prefer to donate by check, we would be happy to send you mailing
information! Please e-mail us at: Jade14@mac.com. Our
organization, DeafVision Filmworks is 100% tax-deductible with a 501 (c)3
status. Please ask us for our federal I.D. to receive a tax-exempt for your
donation.

Thank you very much for your time and
for supporting my campaign mission to execute my 2nd feature film.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $100 or more
About $100

A personal thank you letter with company's logo. Shout outs above, your name listed on website, shoutout via Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and copy of the show poster; signed by the cast and writer/director, TWO front row seat invitations to the staged reading and VIP after party meet and greet with cast and director.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $150 or more
About $150

A personal thank you letter with company's logo. Shout outs above, your name listed on website, shoutout via Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and a copy of the show poster, signed by the cast and writer/director, TWO front row seat invitations to the staged reading and VIP after party meet and greet with cast and director. A DVD copy of one of the director's work, 9/11 Fear in Silence: The Forgotten Underdogs.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $250 or more
About $250

A personal thank you letter with company's logo. Shout outs above, your name listed on website, and TWO copies of the show posters, signed by the cast and writer/director, THREE front row seat invitations to the staged reading and VIP after party meet and greet with cast and director. TWO DVD copies of director's work, 9/11 Fear in Silence: The Forgotten Underdogs (available) and If You Could Hear My Own Tune (not available yet). Signed 8x10 photograph image with cast.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $500 or more
About $500

ASSOCIATE PRODUCER TITLE PLEDGE (SCREENPLAY STAGED READING ONLY)

A CHARACTER NAME AFTER YOU! A personal thank you letter with company logo. Shout outs above, plus tailored Associate Producer package by the director. (Ask US!) Associate Producer title list in program book and our website. Press package, FOUR (front row) invitations to the staged reading included VIP after party meet and greet with cast and director. FIVE copies of the show posters, signed by the cast and writer/director. Two DVD copies of director's work, 9/11 Fear in Silence: The Forgotten Underdogs (available) and If You Could Hear My Own Tune (not available yet). Signed 8x10 photograph image with cast.

[Separate event at a later date ONE VIP invitations to the premiere of the movie when its done. DVD copy of the movie, The Double Life of Zhane Rain when it's done. A copy of the screenplay with director's signature. ONE VIP pass to attend a film festival, travel and lodging not included.]

Pledge $1,000 or more
About $1,000

A personal thank you letter with company logo. Shout outs above, All of the above perks plus tailored Executive Producer package by the director. (Ask US!) Executive Producer title list on screen credit, program book, our website and IMDb website. Press/promotional package, FOUR (front row) invitations to the staged reading included VIP after party meet and greet with cast and director. TEN copies of the show posters, signed by the cast and writer/director and Signed 8x10 photograph image with cast.

[Separate event at a later date TWO VIP invitations to the premiere of the movie when its done. DVD copy of the movie, The Double Life of Zhane Rain when it's done. A copy of the screenplay with director's signature. TWO VIP passes to attend a film festival, travel and lodging not included.]

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $2,500 or more
About $2,500

CO- PRODUCER TITLE PLEDGE (FOR STAGED READING & MOVIE PRODUCTION)

A personal thank you letter with company logo. All of the above perks plus tailored CO-Producer package by the director. (Ask US!) Press/promotional package, SIX (front row) invitations to the staged reading included VIP after party meet and greet with cast and director. Dinner with the staged reading cast/crew. Appearance to speak at the stage reading. Shout out above, your name listed on website, shoutout via Facebook, Linkedin, Twitter and signed copy of the staged reading show poster. Signed 8x10 photograph image with cast. [Separate event at a later date Three VIP invitations to the premiere of the movie when its done. 5 DVD copies of the movie, The Double Life of Zhane Rain when it's done. A copy of the screenplay with director's signature. 2 movie t-shirts, 8 official 8x10 autographed movie posters suitable for framing, 10 limited edition and numbered postcards, skype chat or iChat with director/writer. Sponsorship/Co-Producer/ title list on screen credit, program book, our website and IMDb website. FOUR VIP passes to attend a film festival, travel and lodging not included.]

Pledge $5,000 or more
About $5,000

A personal thank you letter with company logo, your name listed on website, shoutout via Facebook, Linkedin, and Twitter. All of the above perks plus tailored Executive Producer package by the director. (Ask US!) Press/promotional package, Ten (front row) invitations to the staged reading included VIP after party meet and greet with cast and director plus dinner with the staged reading cast/crew. Appearance to speak at the stage reading and signed copy of the staged reading show poster. Signed 8x10 photograph image with cast.

[Donors of more than $5,000 will also receive an Executive Producer credit, and will be entitled to watch cuts with the filmmakers—either in person or online. We take this a commitment from you very seriously, and your voice will definitely be added to our film. Separate event at a later date FIVE VIP invitations to the premiere of the movie when its done. Dinner with movie crew/cast. 5 exclusive digital copies of the movie; The Double Life of Zhane Rain or 10 DVD copies when it's done. A copy of the screenplay with director's signature. 5 movie t-shirts, 20 official 8x10 autographed movie posters suitable for framing, 25 limited edition and numbered postcards, special access to unused footage archives, interviews and b-roll from our internal web database, skype chat or iChat with director/writer. Sponsorship/Executive Producer/ title list on screen credit, program book, our website and IMDb website. SIX VIP passes to attend a film festival, travel and lodging not included.]]

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $10,000
About $10,000

CO-PARTNERSHIP EXECUTIVE PRODUCER TITLE (MOVIE PRODUCTION ONLY)
All of the above perks.

OPEN CO-PARTNERSHIP OPTION TO HELP US GET THE MOVIE PRODUCED
pledge of $10,000 or more, can earn 1-3% percentage of all future proceeds (Up to $1,000,000.00) upon clearance from our lawyer. Contact me and we'll talk!

You get to be a featured extra on set in New York. (travel and accommodation not provided). Our on set photographer will document the day and you'll get to have lunch with the cast and crew! PLUS your very own private screening for you and your friends in a studio or your house with Jade, the director, and other cast and crew members. Includes TEN VIP passes to attend a film festival, travel and lodging not included.